Ridiculous!

[Nam]

Alcohol is in a class of drugs called sedative-hypnotics. Sedative hypnotics are highly addictive. Your smoking analogy is a good one, except that it is EXACTLY the same mechanism in someone ADDICTED to alcohol. I'd say ask the AMA, But you're obviously smarter than them.

Your own evidence from the NYT Times based on the agency it mentions agrees with me. You just can't admit you're wrong.

Everything you are mentioning is based on one's psychological mindset. Alcohol has nothing to do with that. That's just the drug that most people choose because it's easy to obtain.

You lost the argument. Your own evidence proved you wrong, and me right.

Get over it.

-Nam

[Mermaid]

Evidence isn't your strong suit, is it?

This is kind of ironic since you are still insisting that alcohol is only psychologically addictive.

[Mermaid]

No.

-Nam

Am I missing something? Maybe I don't use the same definition of "addiction" as you do?

and physical dependence comes after a long period of time in consumption

-Nam

[Jmpty]

Your own evidence from the NYT Times based on the agency it mentions agrees with me. You just can't admit you're wrong.

Everything you are mentioning is based on one's psychological mindset. Alcohol has nothing to do with that. That's just the drug that most people choose because it's easy to obtain.

You lost the argument. Your own evidence proved you wrong, and me right.

Get over it.

-Nam

Yeah, no. Please show me the source that shows alcohol is not addictive.

[Nam]

A person can be psychologically addicted to alcohol. Alcohol itself is nonaddictive. It's like a person can be psychologically addicted to pornography but pornography is nonaddictive.

The fact you people aren't understanding this makes you look stupid, not me.

Cigarettes are addictive because they have an addictive compound in it called nicotine.

Coffee, sodas, chocolate etc., are addictive because they have a compound in it called caffeine.

Alcohol does not have a compound in it that is addictive. Anyone addicted to alcohol is purely from a psychological standpoint.

-Nam

[Nam]

Yeah, no. Please show me the source that shows alcohol is not addictive.

You haven't shown me a source that it is. It's like a Christian providing evidence Biblegod exists by using the Bible. We call them out on it, then they say, "Show me evidence where it says Biblegod  doesn't exist."

Though a synonym of dependency is addiction they (medical journals, associations etc.,) do not use the term "addiction" because alcohol isn't addictive; people abuse it and over time become dependent on it. Dependent in this case means "Requiring something for support."

It begins as a choice, just like with smoking cigarettes but there's no physical addiction. The body doesn't crave it after use (unless continuously abused over a long period of time) unlike with cigarettes where the body craves the nicotine after every use.

You drink a bottle of beer your body doesn't crave another bottle.
You smoke one cigarette your body craves another cigarette.

The "addiction" with alcohol is purely psychological. Therefore, alcohol is nonaddictive.

-Nam

[Jmpty]

What are sedative-hypnotics?
Sedative-hypnotics are drugs that depress or slow down the body's functions.  Often these drugs are referred to as tranquilizers and sleeping pills or sometimes just as sedatives.  Their effects range from calming down anxious people to promoting sleep.  Both tranquilizers and sleeping pills can have either effect, depending on how much is taken.

Barbiturates and benzodiazepines are the two major categories of sedative-hypnotic.  Some well-known barbiturates are secobarbital (Seconal) and pentobarbital (Nembutal), diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), chlorazepate (Tranxene), lorazepam (Ativan), and alprazolam (Xanax).  A few sedative-hypnotics do not fit in either category.  They include methaqualone (Quaalude), ethchlorvynol (Placidyl), chloralhydrate (Noctec), and mebrobamate (Miltown). Additionally, alcohol belongs to the sedative-hypnotic group.

What are the warning signs?
All of these drugs can be dangerous when they are not taken according to a physician's instructions.  They can cause both physical and psychological dependence.  Regular use over a long period of time may result in tolerance, which means people have to take larger and larger doses to get the same effects.  When regular users stop using large doses of these drugs suddenly, they may develop physical withdrawal symptoms ranging from restlessness, insomnia, anxiety, convulsions, and death.  When users become psychologically dependent, they feel as if they need the drug to function.  Finding and using the drug becomes the main focus in life.

What are the effects?
The effects of barbiturates are, in many ways, similar to the effects of alcohol.  Small amounts produce calmness and relax muscles.  Larger doses can cause slurred speech, memory loss, irritability, changes in alertness, decreased interpersonal functioning, staggering gait, poor judgment, and slow, uncertain reflexes.  These effects make it dangerous to drive a car or operate machinery.  Large doses can cause unconsciousness and death.  Accidental deaths sometimes occur when a user takes one dose, becomes confused and unintentionally takes additional or larger doses.  Additionally, there is less difference between the amount that produces sleep and the amount that kills.

Babies born to mothers who abuse sedatives during their pregnancy may be physically dependent on drugs and show withdrawal shortly after birth.  Their symptoms may include breathing problems, feeding difficulties, disturbed sleep, sweating, irritability, and fever.  Sedative-hypnotics may also pass through the placenta, creating birth defects and behavioral problems in babies.

How can someone get help?
The first step is to determine if there is a problem.  A Certified Addictions Counselor can effectively perform an assessment to determine what level of care is most appropriate.  For a free confidential assessment, call the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery at (800) 522-3784.  An assessment can be completed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are always welcome.

Sources: National Institutes on Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, American Psychiatric Association

[Jmpty]

Still waiting.

[Jmpty]

What is the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse?
Not all alcohol abusers develop alcohol dependence or alcoholism, but it is a major risk factor.  Sometimes alcoholism develops suddenly in response to a genetic predisposition from a family history of alcoholism or due to a stressful change, such as a breakup, retirement, or another loss.  Other times, it gradually creeps up on you as your tolerance to alcohol increases.  If a person is a binge drinker or drinks every day, the risks of developing alcoholism are even greater.

NCADD Self-Test:  What Are the Signs of Alcoholism

Are you concerned about the role alcohol plays in your life?  With 26 questions, this simple self-test is intended to help you determine if you or someone you know needs to find out more about alcoholism.  This test specifically does not include drug use.  To take a self-test focused specifically on drug use, take the Drug Abuse Screening Test.

Signs and symptoms of alcoholism:

Alcoholism involves all the symptoms of alcohol abuse, but also involves another element:  physical dependence-  tolerance and withdrawal.

1.      Tolerance:

Tolerance means that, over time, you need more alcohol to feel the same effect.  Do you drink more than you used to?  Do you drink more than other people without showing obvious signs of intoxication?

2.      Withdrawal:

As the effect of the alcohol wears off you may experience withdrawal symptoms:  anxiety or jumpiness; shakiness or trembling; sweating, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, depression, irritability, fatigue or loss of appetite and headaches.  Do you drink to steady the nerves, stop the shakes in the morning?  Drinking to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms is a sign of alcoholism and addiction.

In severe cases, withdrawal from alcohol can be life-threatening and involve hallucinations, confusion, seizures, fever, and agitation.  These symptoms can be dangerous and should be managed by a physician specifically trained and experienced in dealing with alcoholism and addiction.

3.      Loss of Control:

Drinking more than you wanted to, for longer than you intended, or despite telling yourself that you wouldn’t do it this time.

4.      Desire to Stop-  But Can’t:

You have a persistent desire to cut down or stop your alcohol use, but all efforts to stop and stay stopped, have been unsuccessful.

5.      Neglecting Other Activities:

You are spending less time on activities that used to be important to you (hanging out with family and friends, exercising- going to the gym, pursuing your hobbies or other interests) because of the use of alcohol.

6.      Alcohol Takes Up Greater Time, Energy and Focus:

You spend a lot of time drinking, thinking about it, or recovering from its effects.  You have few, if any, interests, social or community involvements that don’t revolve around the use of alcohol.

7.      Continued Use Despite Negative Consequences:

You drink even though they know it’s causing problems.  As an example, you realize that your alcohol use is interfering with your ability to do your job, is damaging your marriage, making your problems worse, or causing health problems, but you continue to drink.

[Jmpty]

"Sedative-hypnotics, such as alcohol, are well known for their propensity to induce physiological dependence. This dependence is due to alcohol-induced neuro-adaptation. Withdrawal is characterized by neuropsychiatric excitability and autonomic disturbances. Dependence on other sedative-hypnotics can increase the severity of the withdrawal syndrome."

Medical Toxicology 2003

[Mermaid]

You haven't shown me a source that it is.

There are COUNTLESS sources.

Including the book chapter I just posted to you explaining in detail the physiologic phenomena in the brain that are associated with addiction to alcohol. With references. Am I missing something here?

[Nam]

"Sedative-hypnotics, such as alcohol, are well known for their propensity to induce physiological dependence. This dependence is due to alcohol-induced neuro-adaptation. Withdrawal is characterized by neuropsychiatric excitability and autonomic disturbances. Dependence on other sedative-hypnotics can increase the severity of the withdrawal syndrome."

Medical Toxicology 2003

Where in any of that does it say "Alcohol is addictive"? Nowhere.

-Nam

[Jmpty]

Can't you read? I guess not.

[Mermaid]

http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1971-09517-001
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s002130050169
http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1937-05711-001
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/bjp.2008.30/full
http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1941-04209-001
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028393204000715
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460304003958
http://www.jneurosci.org/content/24/46/10542.short
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163725804001068
http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4615-6525-3_15

[Mermaid]

Where in any of that does it say "Alcohol is addictive"? Nowhere.

-Nam

What does "physiological dependence" mean to you?